Going from "oops" to "AAARGHH"

So on Saturday at the April AER event, I had what started out as an oops that turned into a.... Well let's just say it rhymed with "oh truck".

I hop into the car for my second sprint for the day and we're doing pretty well, hanging out in second or third for most of the day. I'm in the car for about 20 minutes and starting to battle for position going down the main straight at PitRace. I go for the overtake and plan to brake a little late, which I did. But the car decided that it didn't really feel like it.

Pump, pump, pump on the brakes and get some pedal back but the fight is over and the competition has pulled a bit of a lead. As I continue around the track, I find that I have to pump up the brakes in order to get any bite - definitely not normal for this car. I radio in the brake problems and come into the pits.

Up on the jacks for quick inspection, not seeing anything, they send me back out.

I do a conservative lap and notice that the car is starting to feel down on power. About 10 MPH down on top end and it feels bound up coming out of the last turn onto the main straight. I do a conservative run down the straight and hit 101 MPH going into turn 1.

I hit the brakes a little early and.. Nothing! Straight to the floor with no resistance. I pump the brakes but still nothing!

I scrub off as much as I can and end up leaving the track at 60 MPH in an area where the wall is very far back (thankfully).

Now with no brakes at all, I limped around the track and back to the pits. (If you want to see the video of it, go here: https://youtu.be/QLqqUfPg7BI

Back up on the jacks - wheel bearing had frozen and got hot enough to melt the boot on the CV joint (throwing grease everywhere) and to (get this!) melt the aluminum brake caliper!!

Basically a piece of aluminum slag had melt and then moved in between the brake pads of the driver's side caliper preventing them from moving. Apparently it kept them at enough distance that I couldn't get the other calipers to grab.

With some herculean effort from the team owner and his one volunteer pit crew, we were back on the track on Sunday and took the win!